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Photos:Paul Walker: Life in the fast lane

Paul Walker, a star of the "Fast & Furious" movie franchise, died in a car crash on November 30, 2013. He was 40. Here's a look at his career through the years.

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Photos:Paul Walker: Life in the fast lane

Walker with Tyrese Gibson, Michelle Rodriguez and Ludacris in "Furious 7," which had mostly completed filming when Walker died. Many fans got emotional upon seeing Walker onscreen in the movie, which earned $143 million its first weekend.

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Photos:Paul Walker: Life in the fast lane

Walker's role as Brian O'Conner in the "Fast & Furious" franchise (here with Vin Diesel in the sixth film) helped make the actor a star.

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Photos:Paul Walker: Life in the fast lane

Walker and Jordana Brewster -- who played his love interest, Mia, in the films -- in "Fast 5."

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Photos:Paul Walker: Life in the fast lane

Kevin Rankin and Walker appear in "Pawn Shop Chronicles," a 2013 film about a missing wedding ring that sets off a wild goose chase.

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Photos:Paul Walker: Life in the fast lane

Walker also had a starring role in the 2013 film "Hours," about a man trying to keep his daughter alive after Hurricane Katrina.

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Photos:Paul Walker: Life in the fast lane

The actor was part of a band of thieves in the 2010 movie "Takers."

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Photos:Paul Walker: Life in the fast lane

Brooklynn Proulx and Walker in the 2008 film "The Lazarus Project."

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Photos:Paul Walker: Life in the fast lane

Walker, left, and Barry Pepper were U.S. Marines in the 2006 drama "Flags of Our Fathers."

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Photos:Paul Walker: Life in the fast lane

Walker appears in the 2005 action film "Into the Blue," which also starred Jessica Alba.

Walker appeared in 2001's "The Fast and the Furious," the first movie in the franchise.

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Photos:Paul Walker: Life in the fast lane

Walker, center, appeared in "Skulls" with Leslie Bibb and Joshua Jackson in 2000.

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Photos:Paul Walker: Life in the fast lane

Walker and Freddie Prinze Jr. co-starred in the popular 1999 teen film "She's All That."

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Photos:Paul Walker: Life in the fast lane

Walker's first major role was opposite Reese Witherspoon in the 1998 film "Pleasantville."

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Story highlights

Paul Walker's ex-cop character has been central to 5 of the first 6 "Fast & Furious" films

Filmmakers have to decide how they bring Walker's character to an end

Walker's car crash death left producers, cast and crew in confusion, a source says

Insurance execs who bonded the production are involved in the decisions, source says

Paul Walker's death sent "Fast & Furious" producers to the editing room to find a way to salvage what they've shot for the franchise's seventh installment, a source close to the production told CNN.

Walker's ex-cop character, Brian O'Conner, has been central to five of the first six "Fast & Furious" stories and was returning to the next release set to hit theaters July 11, 2014.

Many millions of dollars are at stake, considering the franchise has sold $2.6 billion in tickets around the world since 2001. But the filmmakers have to be careful in deciding how they bring Walker's character to an end in the series, unless they replace him with another actor.

Walker, 40, and the rest of the cast were on a short break for Thanksgiving when he stepped into a red 2005 Porsche Carerra GT for a short ride around a Santa Clarita, California, business park Saturday afternoon. Investigators believe the car, driven by Walker's friend Roger Rodas, was speeding when it clipped a light pole and was engulfed in flames, killing both men.

Universal Pictures confirmed Tuesday that they've put production on hold "for a period of time so we can assess all options available to move forward with the franchise." A well-placed source shared details with CNN about what's gone on behind the scenes.

Walker had been set to fly back to Atlanta by Monday for the resumption of filming. Filming, which began in the Georgia capital three months ago, was already behind schedule and only about 50% completed, according to the source.

His death left the producers, cast and crew in confusion, the source said.

Editors began reviewing frame by frame what had already been shot with Walker, including outtakes, for footage that might be incorporated into a rewritten script, the source said. They were looking for ways to piece together new scenes with Walker, perhaps using computer-generated imagery, or CGI.

The script writers have been considering how to rewrite the story to end Walker's character. If O'Conner is killed off while street racing -- a key element in each film -- Walker's fans could be offended.